President Donald Trump appointed Matthew Petersen to become a federal district judge in the District of Columbia.
Petersen then found himself in the dubious company of Brett Talley and Jeff Mateer by becoming the third Trump appointment for a federal judgeship in a week whose name was withdrawn from consideration.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-judge-idUSKBN1EC2G9
Questions about Petersen’s competence were raised by Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee after Petersen, a member of the Federal Election Commission who supported Trump during his presidential campaign, admitted he had never tried a case, taken a deposition, or argued a motion in court.
But things got worse for Petersen when he found it difficult – perhaps even impossible – to define basic legal terms in an exchange with GOP U.S. Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana that went viral.
After Petersen admitted he had never tried a case, Kennedy told him as a trial judge he would have to deal with witnesses. He then asked him what the “Daubert standard,” a well-known standard for admitting expert testimony.
“I don’t have that readily at my disposal,” Petersen said.
“Do you know what a ‘motion in limine’ is?” Kennedy asked a moment later, referring to a request to exclude certain evidence in a trial.
Petersen said he hadn’t had time to “do a deep dive,” before later saying that he would “probably not be able to give you a good definition right here at the table.”
Kennedy told television station WWL-TV in Louisiana said that Petersen is a “decent guy,” but too inexperienced for the bench.
“Just because you’ve seen My Cousin Vinny doesn’t qualify you to be a federal judge,” Kennedy said, referring to the 1992 movie starring Joe Pesci.
